Letters to the editor

All GLories to Sri Sri Gauranga Nitiananda

All Glories to HDG. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

All Glories to you!

All Glories to Vaisnavas

Accept please my sincere obeisances.
Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja.

My life keep on in KC. I’m alone, independent and individual and many things happen to realize it… Is difficult for me understand it… But well, is my moment to be sincere and accept all proofs thats my Lord give me to Learn. Stone heart…

Guru Maharaja, the morning program was so so difficult, Ratha Yatra was consume me… phisically and mentally.  It’s hard for me, many things to adjust, but firm compromise. Praying to Hrisikesa to conquer my senses and occupy in Him. Because of that and because of many others things what Krsna show me in this short time, material attachments, mind, angry, many anarthas … It's hard, saw those things about me. You give me only 1 instruction to give one more step and take second initiation, but I can’t fix it yet. It's like Krsna getting fun with me. since I send u this letter, things gone bad...worse than before. Krsna put me proof and I fail and fail and fail, but... keep on... 
I talk with The Temple president Maha Hari Das, give me his bless.
Sorry for my bad letter. I really do my best.. I ashamed, because I can't fulfil. Many things to learn.

Gurudev I want to be servant of yours and Srila Prabhupada lotus feet, in my better condition, and I not ready to do, because I can't meet your instruction yet.

Commence again the lecture of BG. Trying to do a study group.  Hope can start next year.

108 x 16 rounds + 4 pples = OK.

Worshipping Sri Sri Gauranga Nitai = great.

About my services, the design  department commence with 3 devotees!

Murari Das, Nitya Kisori Devi Dasi y Bhakta Pablo de España. ¡!!!  

Web Design: news soon.

Organization Visit and VP: Participating

Sometimes: Sunday feast

Learning harmonium.

The devotees are so sweet with me and occupy me in services.

Sorry for my long letter and for not write u in long time, I have to overcome my frustration, to do it... I not do it yet, but intelligence push me to write u!!

Please Gurudeva Bless me only for your mercy I can conquer my senses!!

Yours and Srila Prabhupada’s eternal servant:

Rati Manjari Devi Dasi

               HpS - AGTSP.  paoho. Yes, we are sometimes in a situation where we can follow our ISKCON religious rites, morning program, but our following is very superficial, mild sense and psychological gratification.

Then Krsna puts us in a condition where we are forced to find a deeper motive. He is so kind.

Then we can start to do this internal work. So, go on. Make progress. The goal is clear.

2. We got the three PDF files. The Gasa file is very beautiful if you send us the complete htm file with proper links we can upload it to the web-page. The NIOS front page is interesting. The Name of NIOS is too close together and the same size on the two lines. We liked the one with the choices to the left.  NIOS depends on what our members want to do, if they really have plans for international development. The third pdf, a HpS web page is of course hard for us because we are very close to the Subject. In general we have heard from several sources that we are going to be famous after we leave. Besides that, there are many choices on the first page and some seem to be redundant and others seem to offer things that are not mature eg. "escritos", no?

What is the name of your www.jayarama.us sub-domain? Maybe start with fewer options and get the material or links?

Nice fotos!!

Hare Krsna, Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances.  All glories to Srila Prabhupada and to you.

16 rounds / 4 regs strictly.  Some of my evening rounds have been lower in quality lately, but I am working on improving the quality and attention.  Walking to work, it has been a bit hard to get my rounds done earlier, so... time management!

I haven't had karmi grains since a bit before the visit to Houston, and have decided: no more karmi grain, no more prepared (heated) karmi foods (except emergency), no more chocolate.

In another post someone asked about being 'initiated' into reiki.  There is a parampara, it is like energy healing, I am initiated in it from a long time ago but do not know my full parampara.

Life has continued to be better each day since I had my questions answered by you, and my mind is still more clear but there is always work to do for more purification.  I had my vedic astrology chart done and I feel it was done well and helped to further calm my mind about the future.

I had some issues with a mentor, who was not the temple president, but that was worked out between myself, him, and the temple president.

Maharaja, I want to work off as much karma as I can before it is time for initiation so that there is less for you to take on, as I may have some fairly bad karma between previous lives, eating meat until 11 years ago when I came to Krsna consciousness, etc. and I wish for you to not take on so much burden for my sake.

Also, Annette from Fort Collins sends her obeisances.

Maharaja, will there be any video conference, web stream, or similar for your vyasa puja that those of us not local can join or watch?

Hoping to serve you,
Bhakta David II

                ASA - AGTSP.  Thank you so, so much for the news. Please send more news about Denver, Radha-Govinda, Saccinandana. Our respects to Mother Annette. Maybe we will get back there in September!

I think there may be some broadcast of Vyasa-puja but a lot of it will be in Spanish.

We will make the notice.

Your good President is tuned into you taking initiation in the future?

What date are we shooting for?

  Querido Gurudev: PAMHO, AGTSP !

¿Como se encuentra? Por aca estamos ansiosos por su llegada! 

Respondiendo a su pregunta:

 HpS - ASA --- TlgaSP !    Super. Otra vez, que tipo de Prasadam. Estoy recordando algo de hamburgezas vegitarianos!  Donde?

Con mi esposa GopikaPriya dasi, hace casi 4 años que trabajamos juntos y desde nuestra casa con la distribucion de Krsna-Prasadam vegano, es decir que no  cocinamos con lacteos o derivados animales, por el hecho de la explotacion de la industria lechera. Las preparaciones son ofrecidas a Goura Nitay, nuestras deidades, y con hojas frescas de Tulasi.

Le comento que acabo de recibirme de asesor nutricional, lo cual es una herramienta muy importante para nuestro emprendimiento. Usted pregunta que tipo de prasadam? muchas cosas: hamburguesas, pizzas, quesos veganos, tortas, panes integrales, viandas.

Seria maravilloso poder cocinarle alguna vez, espero poder hacerlo en enero!

Donde? Nosotros vivimos en Rosario, provincia de Santa Fe. Ubicado a 400 kilometros de Buenos Aires, es decir a unas 4 horas de viaje.

Me despido y espero poder obtener su misericordia para seguir cantando el santo nombre. 

Sinceramente deseando servirlo, 

bhakta Esteban Perez.

    HpS - ASA - Jaya! Gracias las respuesta, somos felices recordar que su negocio es Prasadam. Estamos visitando a Rosario como tres veces antes. Si, en el calendar de Kapi Dhvaja son las fechas para la visita a Argentina. Dos noches en Mar de Plata.

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja!

Accepte mis respetuosas reverencias.

Todas las Glorias sean para Srila Prabhupada!

Luego de nuestra ceremonia de matrimonio, nos mudamos a media cuadra del templo. Visitamos a diario a los devotos, para asociación y servicio.

                  HpS - ASA -- Wow!  INcreiblE !!!

Finalizamos el curso de discípulos. Muy bueno para comprender todo los errores que hemos cometido hasta ahora como miembros de ISKCON.

Continuamos el próximo año con más cursos.

Mi hermana menor asiste a Bhakti Vrksa, canta una ronda y es casi completamente vegetariana.

                HpS - Estudiando? Trabajando, Ella?

En "Nuevo Templo", es una construcción que se está haciendo en el patio de la casa actual. Un salón de templo más grande, donde ya se han realizado varias fiestas.

Muchas gracias por la torta vegetariana y por las hermosas deidades para sukadeva :)

Estamos esperando Su visita para enero.

Hariiiboooll!!!

                 HpS - Si, pero ya estamos juntos.  Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna.  Hasta esta punto ha pasado una vida muy interesante "valuable". Que pasa en el futuro. Espero sentir mas cerca con Vds!!!

Best wishes, Prabhu.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

For diksha, the standard of following is 6 months only, not one year, so you qualify - unless I read what you wrote wrong. Thus there doesn't seem to be a problem. Even if it was a year, I think you should be initiated anyway, even though it is not my decision to make, because of your unique situation. 
Your wellwisher, Gunagrahi das Goswami

HpS - ASA - AGTSP. paoho. As I experiences and even saw letters from Prabhupada the standard for Hari-nama Diksa was six monthe duing Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. When Prabhupada and the Vedas say "One Year".  That seems for sure to be second initiation. Of course, we should follow long enough to be sure that we can do what we are promising to do. If after 2-years we honestly are still not sure that we can follow the principles for our whole life (barring unexpected tricks from Maya devi) then we should wait.

"I promise I will pull you out of the water if you fall in. I won't let you drown". This is serious promise, but practically speaking if we see that we have done it and we simply expect we can do, it then, yes, make the commitment.

Here at the ASA we also think Bh. Nicasio should take 1st initiation if he feels ready.

Title: opinion about open secret in ISKCON Hare Krisna!!!

Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

Esteemed Gunagrahi das Goswami,

Recently i finished the disciples course which is now a requisite to take initiation within our institution. i felt very satisfied taking the course, and i think everybody should take it. it is a very nice opportunity for an intense and funny sadhu sanga while learning about guru tattva and the standards in ISKCON. I really appreciate how ISKCON as an institution is working hard to make everything more clear and establishing clear rules and procedures in order to protect the position and teachings of the Founder Acarya Srila Prabhupada. We are maturing. Gives confidence.

Although the course is very clear and it covers many subjects that you can say it is much more than a mere disciples course, there is something that still it is not clear to me. when it comes to selecting a guru the course defines the steps to take and it says: one should engage in favourable devotional service, follow the four principles STRICTLY, chanting sixteen rounds, and a full morning program. During this period one should focus in SRila PRabhupada as prominent siksa guru. after six months of following the above one can select an authorized diksa guru and take shelter. after a minimum of six months of having taken shelter one can accept vaisnava diksa and it says that the guru is not obliged to iniciate de candidate.

So this is pretty clear, in theory. but in the practice i can notice that there is different deffinitions of following STRICTLY, and specifically regarding about sex life. It is an open secret that there are two different standards about illicit sex within ISKCON. a few months ago you sent an article regarding this topic, "Family Matters" by Matsya-avatar Prabhu. The lower standard is having regulated sex life within marriage and the higher is having sex life only after garbadhana samskara.

Then there are some gurus within ISKCON that give initiation to devotees that are following the lower standard, and there are other gurus that only give initiation to those devotees who follow the higher standard. So in our yatra we have a devotee which is very involved and commited to the mission, actually he is one of the leaders of the yatra. He is chanting sixteen rounds, having morning program, involved in favourable devotional service, and following the lower standard for seven years now. In the present time this devotee is following everything strictly according to the higher standard for six months and will be eight months of following when his gurumaharaj visit the yatra. he is asking to be initiated to give strength to his spiritual life. he has the benediction to be initiated by the local yatra leader mahajan prabhu, maha hari prabhu, president of ISKCON argentina and even by yourself.

His gurumaharaj initiates devotees who follow the higher standard only. what do you think maharaj? should this devotee be initiated as a special mercy to him or he must wait until he follows everything for one year? please comment on this topic.

your humble servant.

Bhakta Nicasio.